Surf’s Up at TXPO Opening
By Ashley Smith
The convention center was “rockin’ and rollin’” last night as AABB members socialized, exchanged ideas and practiced their surfing moves during the opening of the 2007 AABB Transfusion Medicine Expo (TXPO). The hall was transformed to “Surf City USA” with palm trees and tiki huts as California beach music filled the air.
D. Michael Strong, PhD, MT(ASCP), BCLD(ABB), president of AABB, welcomed attendees to the opening of the 2007 TXPO. “This outstanding meeting would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors and exhibitors, including Roche — the sponsor for this evening’s activities.” Strong turned the opening over to Mike Pintek of Roche, who announced the official opening of the 2007 TXPO as confetti cannons fired multicolored streamers into the air.
Exhibit Growth Continues
The 2007 AABB TXPO opened a day early for the second straight year following positive feedback from both attendees and exhibitors. “Opening on Saturday evening gives everyone an opportunity to spend more dedicated time with exhibitors,” explained AABB’s Shelley Renn. “It also gives people who are here only for the weekend time to learn about the new technologies.”
The TXPO has expanded this year. “We have 226 exhibits, which is the largest number of exhibitors ever for AABB,” said Candace Williams, MT(ASCP)SBB, chair of the Exhibitors Advisory Panel. “This provides AABB attendees with an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the latest in transfusion medicine products.”
Learning Labs Return
In addition to the TXPO, attendees can obtain more in-depth product information from fellow customers and technical experts through learning labs, which have returned this year with sessions on both Sunday and Monday. “The learning labs are a great way for attendees to extend their education from the sessions into the exhibit hall,” noted Renn. “They are able to learn about advances in transfusion medicine and cellular therapy and practical applications of the latest technology.”
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